The invention relates to a novel eyeshield for humans and domestic animals that is adhesively or otherwise attached to the face of the wearer.
There are many conditions affecting eyes of humans and domestic animals where it is necessary to protect a diseased or otherwise irritated eye from insects, sunlight and other irritants.
For example, in order to prevent spreading of pinkeye (infectious keratoconjunctivitis) among cattle, it is usually necessary to isolate the infected animal, as the disease is transmitted by means of flies, including the common housefly and stable fly. In addition, it is necessary to protect the infected eye from such irritants as sunlight, dust, pollen and insects in general which tend to seriously aggrevate the condition.
In order to prevent spreading of the disease without need for isolation of the infected animal and in order to prevent irritants from reaching the infected eye, it has been known to adhesively attach an opaque eye patch made of a dark, closely woven cloth material to the face of the animal or an eye patch made of laminated opaque material as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,561.
While such eye patches prevent sunlight, insects, and other irritants from reaching the infected eye, these eye patches have the disadvantages of completely eliminating vision from the infected eye, allowing an undesirable amount of moisture and heat to build up in the vicinity of the eye and to require removal of the eye patch in order to administer medication to the eye.
In other eye diseases suffered by domestic animals such as horses and pigs as well as humans, particularly infants and physically disabled persons, the prior art eye patches also exhibit similar disadvantages.